Phony license scam yields prison term

A former Department of Motor Vehicles employee who sold drivers licensees to illegal immigrants will spend three years in prison. Khue Xiong of Stevens Point was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in Madison. Xiong’s accomplice Eric Silva found illegal immigrants, and offered them illegal licenses for a thousand dollars. Xiong entered DMV’s data base to change their residency status. Court records say that more than 70 fake licenses were issued over a 6-month period in 2009 and 2010. Xiong and Silva were among six men charged in the case. Sebastian Vieryra of Madison is serving a five month sentence for his role, while Ricardo De Arcos of Marshfield is awaiting sentencing. Two other men, Benito Saldana and Rolando Lima, remain at large. Xiong, 36, and Silva, 38, both pled guilty. Silva has already been sentenced to 18 months in prison.